Ronald D. Castor
Ronald D. Castor, age 87 of Morris, Minnesota, passed away Saturday, May 23, 2026.
Visitation for Ron Castor will be on Saturday, May 30, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Morris, MN.
Memorial services for Ronald D. Castor will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Morris, MN, with Revered Donald Main officiating.
Burial will be Valley View Cemetery, Browns Valley, MN.
Ronald Dale Castor was born in Graceville, MN to Johnston ’Dale’ Castor and Elsie Castor of Beardsley, MN. He was the first born and only son to Dale and Elsie, but a sister, Karen was born and welcomed a few years later in 1941. Ron and his sister were raised and helped out on the family farm in Beardsley. Ron graduated in 1956 from Beardsley High School. Following graduation, Ron was married briefly, and to this marriage one daughter was born, Debbie. Ron continued to work on the farm until 1958, until moving to Minneapolis, where he worked several jobs. While living in Minneapolis, Ron met Wilma ‘Willie’ Bierl, and she would become the woman that would steal his heart. Ron and Willie were married November 18, 1960, and to this union they were blessed with three sons, Jeffrey, Mark and Todd. They raised their young children in St. Louis Park and Rockford, MN, before returning to Beardsley in 1977, where Ron and Willie purchased the Union 76 bulk business and expanded two years later to add a service station, Castor Oil Company. In 1983 that business was sold to Cenex and once again Ron and Willie joined forces to purchase the Beardsley Food Center, where they continued to work together for the next ten years, until the grocery store was sold. In 1993, Ron and Willie continued to work sided by side as they always had at Power Sentry in Sisseton and Wheaton. They were a team in life, raising their family, running their businesses and working side by side right up until Willies passing from cancer in February, 1997. Ron and Willie were married 36 years.
After Willies passing, Ron began a new chapter in his life, and this too was filled with many blessings. He was introduced to a wonderful woman from Morris, MN. Charlotte ‘Char’ Syverson. They were first friends, companions, and soon a couple. On June 12, 1999, they were married in Morris. Welcoming into that marriage were Char’s three daughters, Debb, Teresa and Kristin and their families. Ron worked briefly at Jerry’s U-Save and Coborn’s in Morris, until his retirement in 2001.
Ron and Char continued to live in Morris, sharing time with the large extended family from both sides. After having had three boys, Char’s three daughters quickly acclimated Ron to some new ways of thinking and doing things! Sometimes he would dig his heels in a bit, but at the end of the day, he always felt blessed by Char and the beautiful family she brought into their marriage. They were married for 26 years.
Ron was a man of many hats throughout his life. He was a farmer, laborer, business owner and factory worker, but his most rewarding and fulfilling role was that of husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He may not have said it out loud, or maybe sometimes said it too loudly, but he was a man that had deep love and pride for his family, not just once but twice blessed in his lifetime.
Ron is survived by his wife: Charlotte; three sons: Jeffrey (Jennifer), Mark (Rochelle), and Todd (Dionne); one daughter: Debbie Kelley; two step-daughters: Teresa Grant and Kris Krusemark; two step-sons-in-law: Rollie Henrichs and Zac Grant; one sister: Karen (Jeroy) Haukos; grandchildren, step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.
Preceding in death were his parents: Dale and Elsie Castor; his first wife: Willie Castor; and one step-daughter: Debb Henrichs.
Arrangements are with Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris, MN.
